Prospect Development at Cornell provides strategic intelligence for major and principle gift officers working to raise our campaign goal of $4.75B, and works to build a sustainable pipeline of donors to Cornell for years to come. I manage this fantastic group of 10 folks who work in three teams: prospect research, prospect management, and data support. We provide prospect identification, prospect assignment, portfolio management, prospect research, constituent and data analysis, strategic guidance, policy management, and data management. We're working to solve new challenges that emerge as competition for philanthropic dollars becomes more competitive, and information management becomes more challenging. I love it.

I'm currently serving as co-chair of the Diversity Council for the division of Alumni Affairs and Development as part of Cornell's Toward New Destinations initiative: http://diversity.cornell.edu/commitment-to-inclusion

I held the inaugural prospect management position at Cornell University, transferring several years of related experience into the pivot office that provided leadership and change management as the organization moved from a mid-size centralized model to a large hybrid model. I manages the prospect management functions of a 75-officer major gifts program with over 10,000 prospects under management. In my role, I chose which prospects would be managed by our major and principal gift programs, and identify which part of the institution will do the management. I collaborates with executive leadership in the development of policies and procedures, and provided training as appropriate. I provided reporting and analysis for development staff and executive leadership to maintain the health of our major gifts program.

Nov
2004 -
Feb
2009

Analyst/Trainer / Cornell University

In this role, I supported the director of Major Gifts through prospect management activities such as determination of best practices, reporting, and training. Additionally, I served as a division-wide trainer on data management best practices. Emphasis on Hyperion Brio reporting tool and PeopleSoft.

2002 -
2002

Assistant Director Community Relations and Development / Challenge Industries

Responsibilities included maintaining donor database and gifts, editing and coordinating submission of grant proposals, designing agency ads and publications, assisting with special events.

Responsibilities included coordinating logistics for the Wedding Demonstration at the LGBT Millennium March on Washington, coordinating all program and logistical needs for MCC's 2000 Leadership Conference, working extensively on the 2001 World Jubilee and General Conference, serving as a member of the MCC Leadership Development Team.

1998 -
1999

Development Administrator / ACLU of Maryland

Responsibilities included researching foundations, creating and submitting grant proposals, managing all organization income in several databases, managing funding correspondences, overseeing the Amicus Clus (a private lawyers club that develops financial participation in the ACLU), assisting in the planning and execution of special events, supervising student interns.

Aug
1996 -
Aug
1998

Graduate Assistant / New York University

Graduate Assistant for the Office of Drug and Alcohol Education and for the Office of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Student Services. Focused on education, support, reducing stigma, training, outreach and difficult conversations.

I'm a strategic thinker who's great at process design and implementation - and figuring out what won't work before we do it. I manage projects and people and data. I currently do this for Cornell University as the Director of Prospect Development.

I'm also fabulously in love, painting, taking pictures, cooking food, petting my cats. Like you do if you're lucky.